Sedum plant named ‘Chocolate Cherry’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Sedum  plant named ‘Chocolate Cherry’, characterized by its broadly upright plant habit; basally branching habit; glossy dark greyed purple-colored leaves; numerous light red purple-colored flowers; good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Sedum telephium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘CHOCOLATE CHERRY’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Sedum plant, botanically known as Sedum telephium and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Chocolate Cherry’.

The new Sedum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Warmond, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new strong, healthy and freely-flowering Sedum plants with attractive leaves and flowers.

The new Sedum plant originated from an open-pollination in July, 2010 in an outdoor nursery Warmond, The Netherlands of Sedum telephium ‘Karfunkelstein’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Sedum telephium, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Sedum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in an outdoor nursery in August, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Sedum plant by cuttings and by divisions in a controlled environment in Warmond, The Netherlands since March, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Sedum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Sedum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Chocolate Cherry’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Chocolate Cherry’ as a new and distinct Sedum plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright plant habit.     -   2. Basally branching habit.     -   3. Glossy dark greyed purple-colored leaves.     -   4. Numerous light red purple-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Sedum differ from plants of the female parent, ‘Karfunkelstein’, primarily in flower bud and flower color as plants of ‘Karfunkelstein’ have dark green-colored flower buds and pinkish purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Sedum can also be compared to plants of Sedum telephium ‘Purple Emperor’, not patented. Plants of the new Sedum and ‘Purple Emperor’ differ primarily in leaf and flower color as plants of ‘Purple Emperor’ have greenish purple-colored leaves and pink-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Sedum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Sedum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Chocolate Cherry’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Chocolate Cherry’.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of a typical leaf of ‘Chocolate Cherry’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the late summer and early autumn in an outdoor nursery in Warmond, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Sedum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures ranged from 6° C. to 18° C. Plants were two years old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Sedum telephium ‘Chocolate Cherry’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Sedum telephium ‘Karfunkelstein’,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Sedum             telephium, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 days at             temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 12 to 18             days at temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fleshy; creamy yellow to brown in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Low branching; sparse. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—Herbaceous perennial; broadly upright             plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely             basally branching habit with about 27 lateral branches             developing per plant.         -   Plant height.—About 35 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 48.1 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 18.3 cm. Diameter: About             7 mm. Internode length: About 4.4 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 187B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 5.4 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate, slightly carinate.         -   Apex.—Bluntly acute.         -   Base.—Cordate.         -   Margin.—Irregularly and shallowly dentate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;             succulent.         -   Luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Between N186C and             187A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to N186C.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 187A;             venation, close to 187A. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 146B heavily tinged with close to N187B;             venation, close to 185A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Small rotate flowers             arranged in terminal compound cymes; flowers face upright to             slightly outward; freely flowering habit with about 250             flowers developing per inflorescence.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during             August and September in The Netherlands; plants begin             flowering about nine months after planting.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about two weeks on             the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Shape: Elliptic. Color: Close to 185B; towards the base,             close to 158D.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 10.8 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 10.5 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 7 mm.         -   Flower depth.—About 4.5 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl; petals fused at the base. Length: About 4.5 mm. Lobe             width: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 69D. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 185B; towards the base,             close to 158D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 69D;             midvein, close to 58D; color does not fade with development.             When opening, lower surface: Close to 185B to 185C; towards             the base, close to 69C to 69D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl, fused at the base; calyx, campanulate. Length: About             1.5 mm. Width: About 0.75 mm. Shape: Narrowly ovate. Apex:             Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Color, when opening, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 187A. Color, fully opened, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 187A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 9.3 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Angle: Erect to about 45° from vertical. Strength:             Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close             to 187B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 0.75 mm.             Angle: Erect to about 50° from vertical. Strength:             Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close             to 187B to 187C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             ten. Filament length: About 1.5 mm. Filament color: Close to             150D. Anther shape: Broadly oblong, flattened. Anther             length: About 0.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 3C. Pollen             amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 5B to 5C. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: Typically five. Pistil length: About             0.7 mm. Stigma shape: Pointed. Stigma color: Close to 182D.             Style length: About 0.5 mm. Style color: Close to 185C;             color becoming closer to 185A with development. Ovary color:             Close to 154C to 154D; color becoming closer to 184A and             187D with development.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Sedum. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Sedum have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Sedum plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Sedum have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and high     temperatures about 35° C. and to be winter hardy to USDA Hardiness     Zone 5. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Sedum plant named ‘Chocolate Cherry’ as illustrated and described. 